Comment from Gavin Nippa
Gavin NippaOpposeAcademic
Summary: Gavin Nippa, a research assistant at Michigan State University, opposes the proposed rule because he believes it allows for political interference in academic research and makes peer review optional. He argues that these changes could undermine scientific credibility and hinder progress in fields like agriculture.
My name is Gavin Nippa and I am an undergraduate student at Michigan State University currently working as a Weed Science research assistant. I am concerned about this proposed rule because I believe that academic research should not be strongly controlled or limited by the federal government. I am concerned about parts of this rules, including Section 200.205 which would allow political veto over every grant and make peer review optional. I believe Grants should not be influenced by people who are not scientific experts in the field it concerns. Additionally, peer review is an essential process in ensuring that scientific work is credible and verified by multiple experts in any field. In any sort of research I do, I almost exclusively seek out peer-reviewed sources. I worry that the proposed rule could hurt scientific research in the United States and tarnish our image as a leading force in academic research and achievement. In my field of agriculture, I worry that agricultural research will not be able to advance to the point of feeding the growing population of our planet. As a young person who plans to be a part of academia for a portion of my career, this is extremely concerning. I urge OMB to withdraw this proposed change.